National Parks Traveler Episode 147 | A Pleistocene Burial Ground

By Kurt Repanshek - December 5th, 2021

It’s hard to imagine that camels, lions, and mammoths once roamed the landscape around Las Vegas, Nevada. But such was the case during the latter part of the Pleistocene era, which spanned a period of time between 11,000 years and 2.5 million years ago. The area -- known as the Upper Las Vegas Wash –- is rich with the fossils of these and many more creatures as well as ancient plants and pollens.

This trove of fossils is preserved within Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, which was established not too long ago, in 2014. In this week’s podcast, Lynn Riddick talks with Tule Springs Superintendent Derek Carter to learn about the treasures contained here and the latest management plans for the site.

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode Introduction with Kurt Repanshek
:54 Escalante - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of Peaks, Plateaus and Canyons
1:04 Nova Scotia Tourism
1:34 Yosemite Conservancy
1:55 Friends of Acadia
2:20 North Cascades Institute
2:40 Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument Superintendent Derek Carter discusses the monument with Lynn Riddick.
31:57 Blue Mist - Randy Petersen - The Sounds of Shenandoah
32:07 Washington’s National Park Fund
32:42 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
33:11 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
33:32 Potrero Group
34:00 Interior Federal Credit Union
34:41 Lynn Riddick continues her exploration of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument Superintendent Derek Carter resumes.
49:38 Whispering Winds - Grant Geissman - Sounds of the Caribbean
49:50 Episode Closing
50:43 Orange Tree Productions
51:15 Splitbeard Productions
51:26 National Parks Traveler footer

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Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

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The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks